


Allergies

by charjo



Category: Cosmere - Brandon Sanderson, Stormlight Archive - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fluff, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-10-14 06:08:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10530492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charjo/pseuds/charjo
Summary: Radiants don't getsick.





	

**Author's Note:**

> constructive criticism is always welcome!

A hacking cough to his left woke Adolin far before he would have liked. It was still mostly dark; the light outside was barely a dusky glow. None of them had to be awake for some time today. On his other side, Shallan grumbled and pulled a pillow over her head. “Did _someone_ track dust in here again?”

Adolin made a vague attempt to kick in her direction. “That happened _once_ , and I didn't.”

“Why's Kaladin coughing, then?”

“It’s nothing.” Kaladin sounded very stuffed up, quite contrary to Shallan’s claim of dust-caused coughing. “Go back to sleep, I’m fine.”

“You don’t sound fine.” Adolin propped himself up, concerned, and placed the back of his hand on Kaladin’s forehead. “And you feel hot.”

“Or maybe you’re just cold.” Kaladin sneezed. “Besides, you’re always saying I’m hot. I fulfill and exceed expectations.”

“Kaladin, it feels like you have a fever.”

“I feel fine. Who has the medical experience here, you or me?”

“I didn’t know Radiants could get sick. With Stormlight and everything…” Adolin glanced at Shallan--or, rather, the pile of blankets and pillows that Shallan was buried beneath--uneasily. Perhaps this was serious.

“I’m not _sick_ ,” Kaladin insisted, just before sneezing again. “I’m just… I’m allergic to lighteyes.”

“Strange that this should crop up now,” Shallan said dryly, as Adolin simultaneously deadpanned, “So you’re allergic to yourself sometimes?”

“Storms take both of you.”

“He probably knows exactly what it is,” Adolin told Shallan’s blanket lump, resigned. “The man can diagnose most people fairly accurately based off of what he can see and hear. Feeling symptoms probably makes it even easier.”

“I can hear you,” Kaladin grumbled.

“Perhaps he's in denial,” Shallan said flatly, still muffled by the blankets.

“I'm not in denial. I'm fine.”

“He hasn’t had Stormlight in a bit, so he could’ve caught it in between periods of using it, when his immune system wouldn’t have been bolstered,” Shallan continued, voice colored with a tinge of curiosity under the annoyance. “Or perhaps Surgebinders getting sick has a purpose. Build up immunity to spren that create illness, in case there are spren that can affect even Radiants. It’ll make him stronger and less susceptible to those diseases later.”

Kaladin narrowed his eyes. “Have you been reading _medical books?_ ”

Shallan ignored him. “Maybe Stormlight _will_ help, but maybe we should only do that if it gets serious.”

“It’s not going to get serious, because I’m _fine_. Why are you talking about me like I'm not here?”

“Kaladin, darling, any evidence linked to your well-being points to the contrary being true, and if you're not going to acknowledge it, we will.” Shallan yawned, turning over to squint in his direction.

“It’s _fine_. I'm fine. In fact, I need to start getting ready for training.” Kaladin shifted, evidently trying to get up.

“No, no, no, no, you don’t.” Adolin scrambled to sit up fully and pushed Kaladin down. “No, you need to _rest_.”

“Do not. I have things to do.” Kaladin pushed against him, scowling.

“Yes, you do, and those things include getting rest right now. It’s still really early. Shallan, help me out.”

Shallan blearily reached across Adolin and held one of Kaladin’s arms, which did effectively nothing to help Adolin hold down the rest of him. Kaladin wasn’t fighting much, but it was difficult to keep him down while next to him, so Adolin eventually just shoved Shallan’s arm aside and sat on Kaladin’s abdomen, holding his shoulders down. Kaladin grunted in protest and tried to knee him in the back, so Shallan lethargically moved to drape herself across his legs.

“We can ask Syl when she gets back if she thinks you need to heal up. But until then, you should stay here.”

“No, I shouldn’t.”

“Kaladin, love,” Adolin coaxed, “Stormlight of my life--”

“Almighty, whatever you're about to say, you can say it without the gushy nicknames,” Kaladin groaned, rolling his eyes as he continued to try to wiggle out from under Adolin. Shallan snickered.

“What, you _don’t_ like gushy nicknames?”

Kaladin went limp for a moment. “Oh, Stormfather. What have I done?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, you Ryshadium of a man,” Shallan said, tone innocent. “I would think you would have more faith in us to come up with suitable compliments, you picture of Heraldic Radiance, you rare and stunning chasmfiend gemheart. You ferocious and beautiful skyeel. You stubborn, elegant Shardblade.”

Kaladin snorted, quite obviously smothering a laugh. “You're ridiculous.”

“You're ridiculous, refusing to realize you need rest,” Shallan countered.

“I don't. I am rested and I am fine, and there is nothing you can do to convince me otherwise.”

“Nothing, you say?” Shallan’s tone became dangerously sweet, and Adolin felt the need to brace himself for whatever was coming. Kaladin set his jaw.

“Nothing.”

“ _Nothing_ , he says. Hm. You know,” she said, in mock thoughtfulness, “you breathtaking, spontaneous collection of rockbuds, we never did officially establish whether or not you’re ticklish anywhere.”

Kaladin froze, just for a second. “I’m not.”

The second was enough. Adolin turned around just in time to see Shallan grin maliciously and reach for Kaladin’s feet. Kaladin yelped, probably the most undignified noise Adolin had ever heard him make, and tried to kick her. She just laughed and pinned his legs down, tickling the bottom of his foot relentlessly. Adolin nearly fell off of him in the resulting explosion of laughter, but he couldn't help a smile--Kaladin laughing was rare, and Kaladin laughing beyond an amused huff was about as common as shalebark growing purple. Which was a shame. Kaladin had a lovely laugh, despite what he claimed; while it was often hoarse, it was spontaneous and infectious and _real_. But Kaladin’s uncontrollable laughter quickly deteriorated into a wheezing cough, and Shallan let up, concern evident on her face.

“Okay! Okay, maybe I do need to get some rest,” he finally admitted, once the coughing stopped. Shallan nodded and flopped back down. Adolin hummed in satisfaction, and Kaladin opened his eyes a slit.

“It’s not because of the compliments.”

“Mhm.”

“Or because of the tickling.”

“Okay.”

“Or your efforts to keep me immobilized.”

“All right.” Adolin heaved himself off and snuggled next to Kaladin again, ignoring how hot his skin felt.

“You two lightweights are _nothing,_ compared to a bridge,” Kaladin continued, automatically pulling Adolin closer and worming an arm under his shoulders.

“Undoubtedly.”

“I could fling you both across the room if I wanted to.”

“I’m aware.”

“Without Stormlight.”

Adolin laughed. “I know you could, love.”

“I, for one, doubt it,” Shallan interjected, still lying across Kaladin’s legs. “The momentum and force that would be required isn’t quite possible with what you could pull off lying down and weighted.”

Kaladin rolled his eyes and gave Adolin a long-suffering look. Adolin snorted. “Shallan, I’m losing feeling in my legs.”

“Better to be down here than up there. You’ll get us sick too.”

“Shalllaaaaaaaannnnn,” Adolin whined. “We need to keep Kaladin warm for as long as we can before we have to go.”

Shallan grumbled. “He has a fever. He's plenty warm.”

“I can keep _you_ warm, then,” Kaladin said. “Plenty of heat to go around. Because I'm _so_ hot.”

She didn't move for another moment, still resisting. Adolin wiggled his feet underneath her, and she slapped at them.

“Fine. But you two need to move over so I don't fall off the bed.”

Both obliged, and she dragged herself to Kaladin’s other side, burrowing around until she was comfortable. Kaladin grunted and adjusted for her presence. He sighed contentedly once she was settled, nuzzling into her hair.

Adolin watched the faint light track across the ceiling, pressed against Kaladin’s side, listening to his heartbeat and breathing. It was moments like these that he really treasured; even though Kaladin was sick, they were all together, alive and away from the expectations they had to conform to in public. This… this was peaceful and calm. Once again, Adolin found himself making a mental note to have someone help him burn a glyph of gratitude for the two wonderful, amazing people here with him. He shifted a bit to drape an arm across Kaladin’s torso, found Shallan’s freehand, and threaded their fingers together. How had he gotten so lucky? To end up with Kaladin and Shallan, two powerful, beautiful, incredible Radiants with razor sharp wits and unique, lovely personalities and attributes… his love for them threatened to overwhelm him sometimes.

Surely they felt similarly. Perhaps they too were contemplating such things as they stared at the light, slowly drifting across the ceiling. Perhaps they too marveled at how the beauty of the world seemed to increase when people were with those they loved. Perhaps they too wondered at the intricate nature of the cosmere, how it aligned to bring them together.

“If we get sick, it’s your fault,” Shallan muttered into Kaladin’s side, interrupting Adolin’s thoughts.

Adolin closed his eyes briefly, an exasperated sigh threatening to escape him. Despite it, a reluctant smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“No, ’s your fault.” Kaladin’s voice slurred slightly, already half asleep. “For not letting me Stormlight so I can get better faster.”

“I didn’t realize Stormlight was a verb.” Despite the barbed nature of the comment, Shallan’s tone was soft and quiet.

“S’not.” He sounded like he was fighting to stay awake, just to keep arguing with Shallan. Adolin rolled his eyes, allowing the fond smile to grow on his face. “Didn’t… use it like that.”

“Shallan, leave him alone. Let him sleep.”

“Fine.” She kissed Kaladin’s jaw. “If I must.”

Kaladin smiled sleepily, eyes closed. “I love you.”

“Love you too.”

“I love you too. Now get some storming _sleep_.”

**Author's Note:**

> Self promotion time. I run a blog collecting Cosmere fic! Everything is tagged thoroughly, and I reblog nearly regardless of pairing or subject, although I don't reblog smut. If y'all are looking for fics to read or you want to rec any, check out cosmere-drabbles.tumblr.com! And as always, you can find me at charjo or hoidthevoid on Tumblr too. thanks for reading!


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